Felix Figueroa-Sanchez, a 30-year-old Guatemalan national, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison after twice being deported and using stolen identification to work illegally in Iowa. The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, underscores a pattern of repeated immigration violations and document fraud.
Figueroa-Sanchez, previously deported in October 2008 and again in February 2010, illegally returned to the United States and used a social security card bearing a fake name on December 15, 2016, to secure employment in Eagle Grove, Iowa. The name and Social Security number belonged to a U.S. citizen—identity elements he knowingly falsified during job application processing.
He pleaded guilty on October 26, 2017, to one count of unlawful use of identification documents and one count of illegal reentry into the United States following a felony conviction. That prior felony, from May 2008, stemmed from using false identification to obtain work in Postville, Iowa—marking a decade-long trail of deceit.
Immigration authorities caught up with Figueroa-Sanchez in August 2017 after he was arrested and convicted of assault in Wright County, Iowa, while still using the stolen identity. His false identity unraveled during local processing, triggering a federal investigation by Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand in Cedar Rapids, Figueroa-Sanchez faces eight months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. He remains in U.S. Marshals custody pending transfer to a federal facility. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case, filed under 17-CR-3044, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt. Court records are available via the Northern District of Iowa’s electronic filing system. Follow updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office at @USAO_NDIA.
Related Federal Cases
- Felon Fuego-Sanchez Gets 54 Months for Illegal Re-Entry · Iowa
- Rodriguez-Andres Sentenced for Illegal Reentry & Fraud · Iowa
- Mexican Citizen Marcelino Aguilar-Vicente Sentenced for Illegal Reentry · Iowa
- Marion Broker Beltramea Gets Over Nine Years For Fraud, Laundering · Iowa
- Mandy Lea Whipple Gets 18 Months for Mortgage Fraud · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
